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If I were in your situation, I would have seriously considered getting out, or calling out, to apologize to the driver in front. I've done it before, when I realized that my behavior was so out of line. Yours was an honest mistake, it seems, so I say just live and learn. Maybe look around a bit more before you get on the horn!
I would never get out of my car to apologize. I was in an area where a driver has a right to shoot you if they feel you are approaching them in a menacing manner (no, not Florida). After honking twice, I'm sure that the driver ahead of me might have thought that I was approaching them to confront them. Who knows what could've happened then. I could've been shot dead in the parking lot. Waving also makes some people angrier than just doing nothing. I try not gesture or look at another driver after I've done something wrong. I know some people are the exact opposite, but it's just my general philosophy.
I am working on becoming a little more patient with other drivers. It does seem that there is a lot of stupidity and just general selfishness on the roads these days. You never know what other drivers are doing by their actions, so I try to drive as defensively as possible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vmaxnc
I often drive aggressively. For those who don't know what that means, which covers half the previous posters here, it doesn't mean speeding, cutting through parking lots, swerving in and out of traffic, etc. For me it means taking opportunities that others may not. A good example-yesterday I pulled out of a parking lot onto a road and saw that the left turn signal for the road I wanted to take had just turned yellow. I know it's a long light, so I shot across three (empty) lanes and made the left turn through the intersection while the light was still yellow. While I didn't follow the "slow and be prepared to stop" intent of a yellow light, I did not break any laws, or endanger or inconvenience any other drivers. I simply used the power of my car, knowledge of the length of the light, and driving skill to my advantage.
OTOH, while in the parking garage just before this maneuver, I drove out in front of a car that clearly had right of way. I simply lost focus for a moment. Fortunately neither of us were moving very fast, so he stopped and allowed me to continue my mistake, while indicating that I was #1 in his book. Oops.
I don't make many actual errors while driving, but the ones I do make are caused by not paying attention for a moment far more than anything related to aggressive driving. I'm much more focused when I'm driving...assertively...so I think that usually keeps me from screwing up.
I don't think that cutting across three lanes of a road (empty or not) and blowing through a yellow light is legal. Yes, people do it all the time, but that does not make it legal. I was taught that you are supposed to at least hesitate in each lane. Yellow also means prepare to stop and not floor it before the light turns red.
I think part of the issue of driving is that too many drivers create their own rule based off of what kind of car they're driving. The rules are the same for all of us.
Kudos to you for admitting your mistake. I can't believe some of the posters on this forum who keep criticizing others who have admitted to driving mistakes as if they themselves have obeyed every traffic law out there. Heck, on my 10 min. morning commute on two-lane streets, I can't drive at the speed limit without people passing me by the second.
Which honestly I think makes a more dangerous situation then if everyone just sped.
Kind of similar to my earlier comment about how defensive isn't always safe if everyone one on the road is driving aggressively above the speed limit. Everyone on the same page is safer then everyone speeding and 1 guy going slow.
It happens on occasion, and, yes, I always feel bad about it. I try to be courteous to others always, so when I make a mistake I real really bad. Fortunately, the mistakes I usually make do not affect others most of the time, but when it does, ugh!
Every now and then. The worst one ( which makes me feel the worst ) is when I cut folks off by accident because of a blind spot.
always look over your shoulder before changing lanes on a highway.
I also have a question related to changing lanes on a highway. Lets say you are on a 3 lane highway and you are in the right lane. You indicate to turn into the center lane, and you check if it's clear. Once it's clear you proceed to move into the center lane, but someone from the left lane also moved into the center lane at the same exact time. This once happened to me before (I turned into the center lane and noticed someone also went into the center lane and was directly behind me--close call--but I learned my lesson). Now, I check both the center and left lane. My question is, what if the car is exactly parallel to you and therefore you can't see its blinker. I think that's one of the most dangerous things that can happen on a highway. Because I used to be way too aggressive and change into the center lane, aggressively passing all cars on the left and right. I never realized that the guy in the right/left lane might come into the center without never seeing me.
Got in accident, I totalled a rental vehicle and a guy totalled his motorcycle. No one got so much as a scratch from the accident....that helped a lot.
I was not cited, but it was my fault. I made a crappy move across traffic and a motorcycle hot-dog come out of nowhere and t-boned me. Lot more careful now. I am just thankful that no one got hurt.
Turns out the kid did not have insurance.....in California that limits very much the ability to sue. He got his bike replaced and that's about it.
always look over your shoulder before changing lanes on a highway.
I also have a question related to changing lanes on a highway. Lets say you are on a 3 lane highway and you are in the right lane. You indicate to turn into the center lane, and you check if it's clear. Once it's clear you proceed to move into the center lane, but someone from the left lane also moved into the center lane at the same exact time. This once happened to me before (I turned into the center lane and noticed someone also went into the center lane and was directly behind me--close call--but I learned my lesson). Now, I check both the center and left lane. My question is, what if the car is exactly parallel to you and therefore you can't see its blinker. I think that's one of the most dangerous things that can happen on a highway. Because I used to be way too aggressive and change into the center lane, aggressively passing all cars on the left and right. I never realized that the guy in the right/left lane might come into the center without never seeing me.
Yankees, the reason you didnt see their blinker is probably because they did not use it. Thats my pet peeve. Drive as fast as you want but please use blinkers. They are there for a reason. I see more and more people on a daily basis not using them. It shows lack of respect for everyone else on the road.
As far as feeling bad over a driving mistake, I think everyone has at one point in time, but for me it was soon forgotten. I think as far as mistakes go...certain situations where some feel that it would be a mistake, I feel that I am sticking to my guns and if you dont like it you should learn how to drive.
Which honestly I think makes a more dangerous situation then if everyone just sped.
Kind of similar to my earlier comment about how defensive isn't always safe if everyone one on the road is driving aggressively above the speed limit. Everyone on the same page is safer then everyone speeding and 1 guy going slow.
Driving fast and driving defensively are not mutually exclusive.
I drive above the speed limit most of the time--conditions permitting--and yet I have not had an accident for 41 years. If someone drives above the speed limit, but uses some important defensive driving techniques, he/she can remain very safe, IMHO.
Among the things that are important are:
>Being willing to yield to other drivers, even if I "technically" have the right of way.
>Maintaining a safe following distance by using the "three second rule".
>Looking far down the road, rather than just focusing on the car in front of you.
>Passing other cars quickly in order to limit the amount of time that you are in their blind spot.
>Adjusting your mirrors properly in order to minimize blind spots, and then being careful to use your mirrors AND to look over your shoulder before changing lanes.
>Using directional signals.
>Checking your mirrors often, even when not changing lanes.
>Turning on your headlights in inclement weather and being sure to turn them on at dusk.
>Keeping to the right except when passing.
>Doing a "complimentary lane change" in order to allow merging traffic to enter the right lane.
>Driving more slowly when it rains, and driving much more slowly if it is snowing or foggy.
>Being sure to clear all of the snow from your car before driving--including the tail lights--and stopping in a safe place periodically to clear accumulated snow and slush.
By doing these things, I am usually able to drive at essentially the same speed as the flow of traffic--sometimes a bit faster, actually--but not wind up in a dangerous situation. My accident-free 41 years of driving is pretty good evidence of the effectiveness of these techniques.
The person who is driving slowly is not necessarily driving defensively, and conversely, the person driving fast is not necessarily driving in a non-defensive manner.
Last edited by Retriever; 06-04-2012 at 08:57 AM..
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